re bar ground

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domnic

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
If I build a new home must I use a 20' rebar as a grounding electrode if available ?
 
D

domnic

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
rebar

rebar

If the rebar is coated I can not use it . must I run a 20' of #4 bare copper ? or can I use a ground rod ?
 
gadfly56

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
domnic said:
If the rebar is coated I can not use it . must I run a 20' of #4 bare copper ? or can I use a ground rod ?
Click to expand...

If it's coated, it's not "available". Skip the #4, drive 2 ground rods and call it a day.
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
The CEE is present and must be used only if it's 20' or more of 1/2" or larger non-coated rebar. There is no requirement to make one if it doesn't exist.
 
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GoldDigger

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Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
infinity said:
The CEE is present and must be used only if it's 20' or more of 1/2" or larger non-coated rebar. There is no requirement to make one if it doesn't exist.
Click to expand...
Although in some cases, such as rocky or dry sand soil you might want be sure that a Ufer is made when the concrete is poured, even if it means adding a non-structural length of rebar for that purpose.
One caution is that the coated rebar may have been specified because rusting rebar can expand and damage the concrete in some environments.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
domnic said:
If I build a new home must I use a 20' rebar as a grounding electrode if available ?
Click to expand...

The old wording (before 2005 NEC?) said if available.

Whatever year they changed the wording they changed it to state if present it must be used.

Problem before the change is they wanted us to use CEE whenever possible, but the way it was worded we ended up with footings being installed before an electrician was ever on site in many cases. By the time the electrician did arrive the CEE was deemed not available and was seldom being used.

Exceptions are there for existing installations, but new installations must be connected if the CEE is present. Should you run into a place that has non qualifying reinforcement in the footing - you don't have to bond to it. You do have an option of installing your own qualifying rebar or 4 AWG copper - but that is a design choice not a requirement.
 
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